Demonstration in Najaf demanding the departure of al-Sader forces

Several gunmen from al-Mahdi army which belongs to the Shiite clergy Muqtada al-Sader in Najaf city opened fire in air to disperse demonstrators who were demanding al-Mahdi army withdraw from the city.

The new governor of Najaf, Adnan al-Zarafi, said that the Iraqi civil defense forces will recruit 4 thousands new members in order to bring back order to the city.

Member of the higher council of the Islamic revolution, Sader Eddin al-Qanbaji, demanded supporters of al-Sader to withdraw from Najaf so as members of the Iraqi police will assume the task of reinforcing security in the city.

On the other hand, the ruler of Najaf, Adnan al-Zarafi, announced that the judicial measures against the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader in the assassination case of the Shiite clergy al-Kouai will be postponed until after June 30th, the assumed date for handing over the authority for the Iraqis, and this is if Muqtada al-Sader desolves the militias of al-Mahdi army which he leads.

The American occupation forces announced yesterday that it killed 13 persons of al- Sader supporters during clashes that took place on Monday evening. Thereby the number of killed persons among al-Sader supporters in clashes with the occupation forces in Najaf, Koufa, Karbala and al-Sader city in Baghdad reached during the past days more than 50 persons, according to the American occupation forces.

On the other hand, a high ranking American military official said that a supply vehicle including 21 cars was attacked yesterday ( Tuesday) on its way to Baghdad coming from Jordan near al-Ratba, noting to the destruction of several cars and the losses of several persons.